Almond and apricot cake

Almond and apricot cake

Saturday 19 May 2007 08.04 EDT
First published on Saturday 19 May 2007 08.04 EDT

A small potting shed at Jack Drake's Alpine Nursery in the Cairngorms (01540 651287, drakesalpines.com) gets my vote as one of the top tearooms in Britain - not least for classy cakes like this. Gunn Borrowman, a sort of Norwegian Mary Poppins, bakes with perfect balance and good taste, while red squirrels somersault outside the windows that look out on to the valley. Just bliss.

5 eggs, separated

200g sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract

200g ground almonds

About 250g fresh apricots

1 or 2 x 568ml pots double cream

250g almond paste (the good stuff)

Cornflour, for rolling

Preheat the oven to 180C (fan-assisted)/350F/gas mark 4. Butter a 24cm spring-form cake tin. Beat the egg yolks with half the sugar and the vanilla until thick and pale. In a separate bowl, and with clean whisks, beat the whites and remaining sugar to a soft meringue. Mix the almonds and yolks, fold in the meringue, then spoon into the tin. Smooth the top and bake for 40-45 minutes, until firm. Remove and set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, pit and roughly chop the apricots, then cook with a little water until they're soft and mushy. Whip the cream. Split the cake, and fill and top with thick layers of apricots and cream.

Roll the almond paste, dusting with a little cornflour, to a dinner plate size. Lay it between sheets of clingfilm, roll very thinly, peel off one sheet and drape over the cake. Tuck in snugly, carefully peel off the top sheet and trim to serve.